What is Hardcore Cork?

Are you interested in learning more about Cork city and its recent and ancient past? Then this is a heritage project for you.

The geology of Cork is quite simple to understand! And with its simplicity, it has an interesting landscape that can help us understand many principles about geology and on how the landscape of Southern Ireland came to be.

The underlying geological layers of the city are expressed so dramatically on the surface of the area. The wavy landscape offers great views over the valleys and rivers, and occasionally the soil and concrete gives us glimpses of what lies underneath. It is in these exposed bit of rock that we can investigate evidence of Cork’s ancient past. With Hardcore Cork, we will show you how you can discover the evidence for yourself and visualise an ancient Cork that is very different from today.

What can I do?

I want to Learn

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I want to Walk

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I want to Explore

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Visit Cork's Geological Landmark

  1. Glen River Park. A glacial valley.
  2. Beaumont Quarry. The great limestone quarry. Enjoy the view!
  3. Shandon Bells & Tower. Red: Sandstone. White: Limestone.
  4. The Lough. The closest thing to Jurassic Park we have.
  5. St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. Lovely marbles inside.
  6. University College Cork. Limestone buildings with fossils.
  7. School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UCC. An Irish geological garden.
  8. Tramore Valley Park. Nice view over the city, (and its geology!).
  9. Brickfield/Flaherty’s Quarry. A huge Old Red Sandstone quarry. You can’t miss it!
  10. Diamond Quarry. Sorry not diamonds, just amethysts!
  11. Japanese Gardens and a limestone wall. Fossils of coral reefs.
  12. Old Red Sandstone folds Upper John St. Structural geology.
  13. Dundanion Castle.
  14. St. Patrick’s Church. With limestone.
  15. Hibernian Rd. Limestone quarry.
  16. Strawberry Hill. Sandstone hills are steep!
  17. River Kiln/Bride. A buried river
  18. Cork City Council. Limestone building.
  19. Cork Public Museum.
  20. Berwick Fountain. You can play with the water here.
  21. Courthouse.
  22. Sandstone Quarry. Near St Lukes.
  23. Cork-Dublin Train. Tunnel Goes under the hill.
  24. Old Red Sandstone walls with folds. The bowels of the hill.
  25. Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne.
  26. Griffith College.
  27. Collins Barracks.
  28. Trinity Church. With limestone.
  29. Elizabeth Fort. So much limestone!
  30. Beautiful limestone quarry wall.
  31. Douglas St. Limestone quarry.
  32. Limestone quarry at Capwell.
  33. Cork City Gaol.
  34. Limestone Quarry.
  35. Nano Nagles Place.
  36. Honan Chapel. Limestone building.
  37. Lewis Glucksman Gallery.
  38. UCC Main Gates.
  39. Anglesea St Garda Station (brachiopods!).
  40. Sandstone Outcrop.
  41. Ss. Peter & Paul’s Church.
  42. Former Provincial Bank.
  43. Cork Savings Bank.
Take A Walk

See the Evidence

A closer look at Cork's rocks and fossils

Interact with our high resolution 3D-scans of Cork’s rocks. 

Rocks and Fossils
Get out and explore Cork's geology

Cork is wonderful to walk around in, so why not learn about its geology while on foot?

Explore

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